PURPOSE: Under section 188.055, RSMo, the Department of Health and Senior Services is given the responsibility to provide forms relating to abortion to abortion facilities, hospitals, and physicians. This rule establishes the content of the tissue report and filing requirements for tissue reports.

1. (1) The department will accept local pathologists’ report forms for compliance with section 188.047, RSMo, if the reports contain the following: patient identification number, identical in labeling and format to the patient identification number assigned by the facility where the abortion took place, and reported on the report of induced termination of pregnancy; date of the procedure; name and address of the abortion facility or hospital where the procedure was performed; name and address of the pathologist who examined the tissue. All reports shall contain the findings of a gross and histopathological examination. One (1) or more sections shall be examined histopathologically. The section(s) shall be determined by the pathologist based upon his or her assessment.
2. (2) The pathologist shall file the tissue report with the Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, PO Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570, within thirty (30) days after the examination of the tissue.
3. (3) The physician who performed or induced the abortion may, based on his or her medical judgment and prevailing standards of care, provide the results of the gross and histopathological examination to the patient.

AUTHORITY: section 188.047, RSMo Supp. 2017, and section 192.006, RSMo 2016.* This rule was previously filed as 13 CSR 50- 151.030 and 19 CSR 30-15.030. Original rule filed Sept. 30, 1980, effective Jan. 12, 1981. Changed to 19 CSR 10-15.030 July 30, 1998. Amended: Filed Oct. 24, 2017, effective April 30, 2018. *Original authority: 188.047, RSMo 1979, amended 2017 and 192.006, RSMo 1993, amended 1995.